All three are talented San Antonio boxers, but at 17, Kendo may be the best of the bunch.

Saturday, competing for the first time in the open division for experienced boxers, the youngest Castaneda pulled off a rare feat, winning a San Antonio Regional Golden Gloves championship in his first attempt.

Castaneda defeated friend and old foe Joseph Rodriguez of Castillo Boxing Club 5-0 to claim the open division bantamweight crown in front of a crowd of about 1,500 as the tournament returned to Municipal Auditorium for the first time since 1979.

At the end, Parker was awarded a narrow 3-2 decision, and the crowd was on its feet delivering a standing ovation.

“I thought I won,” said Parker, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. “Even when she caught me, I was able to come back.”

Adam Lopez, San Antonio's top-rated amateur, had no trouble with Angel Cuevas of Fast Katz 212 Boxing Club, claiming a 5-0 decision to win the open flyweight championship.

It was the fourth local Golden Gloves title for Lopez, 20, ranked No. 1 nationally at 114 pounds.

Lopez started strong and finished even stronger, pummeling his opponent with at least a dozen unanswered punches before the referee stopped the contest at 1 minute, 37 seconds of the third round.

Lopez, trained by “Jesse” James Leija, came out boxing in a southpaw stance in honor of the late Felix Castillo, a well-known local fighter who passed away recently.

“I dedicated this fight to him,” Lopez said. “He was a southpaw and a big part of boxing in this town.”

In other bouts, Benjamin Whitaker of San Antonio Golden Gloves gym on the East Side defeated Justin Gover, also of San Antonio and boxing as an independent, 5-0 in an exciting bout for the open welterweight title.